# US 10,375,339 B2 · Imaging device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,375,339 B2 - Document ID: US10375339B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/654,338 - Filed: 2017-07-19 - Published: 2017-11-02 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-24 - Assignees: Nikon Corporation - Applicants: Nikon Corporation - Inventors: Masahiro Juen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375339B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/70: SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith - H04N 25/00: Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof - H04N 25/69: SSIS comprising testing or correcting structures for circuits other than pixel cells - H04N 25/7795: {Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals} - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - H04N 25/79: Arrangements of circuitry being divided between different or multiple substrates, chips or circuit boards, e.g. stacked image sensors - H10F 39/18: Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor [CMOS] image sensors; Photodiode array image sensors - H10F 39/803: {Pixels having integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements} - H10F 39/809: {of hybrid image sensors} - H10F 39/811: {Interconnections} - H10F 39/804: {Containers or encapsulations} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract An imaging device has a sensor chip and a signal processing chip. The sensor chip includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a 2-dimensional matrix and a data output terminal group made up of a plurality of data output terminals which output analog signals of pixels for each pixel column of the pixel array. The signal processing chip includes a data input terminal group electrically coupled to the data output terminal group, a plurality of A/D converters which convert analog signals of pixels received by the data input terminal group into digital signals for each pixel column of the pixel array, and a control unit which controls operation of the plurality of A/D converters. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imaging device comprising: a sensor chip in which a plurality of photoelectric converters which convert light into electric charge are arranged; a first signal processing chip having a first circuit which is configured to convert a first signal generated by electric charge generated by conversion in a first photoelectric converter among the plurality of photoelectric converters into a digital signal and having a first controller which controls the first circuit; and a second signal processing chip having a second circuit which is configured to convert a second signal generated by electric charge generated by conversion in a second photoelectric converter among the plurality of photoelectric converters into a digital signal and having a second controller which controls the second circuit, the second photoelectric converter being arranged on a side in a first direction of the first photoelectric converter, wherein: the first signal processing chip and the second signal processing chip are arranged apart from each other in a second direction intersecting with the first direction; and the first controller or the second controller has a timing generator which controls driving of the sensor chip. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein an area of the sensor chip is larger than an area of the first signal processing chip and an area of the second signal processing chip. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein: the first signal processing chip has a first correcting circuit which corrects the first signal converted into a digital signal; and the second signal processing chip has a second correcting circuit which corrects the second signal converted into a digital signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The imaging device according to claim 3, wherein: the first correcting circuit includes a circuit which removes noise included in the first signal; and the second correcting circuit includes a circuit which removes noise included in the second signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein in the sensor chip, a first signal line to which the first signal is output and a second signal line to which the second signal is output are arranged, the second signal line being different from the first signal line. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The imaging device according to claim 5, wherein: the sensor chip has a first terminal which is coupled to the first signal line and a second terminal which is coupled to the second signal line; and the first terminal and the second terminal are arranged apart from each other to sandwich a pixel array, in which the plurality of photoelectric converters are arranged, in the second direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein: the sensor chip has a first amplifier which amplifies the first signal and a second amplifier which amplifies the second signal; the first circuit is configured to convert the first signal amplified by the first amplifier into a digital signal; and the second circuit is configured to convert the second signal amplified by the second amplifier into a digital signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The imaging device according to claim 7, wherein the first amplifier and the second amplifier are arranged apart from each other to sandwich a pixel array, in which the plurality of photoelectric converters are arranged, in the second direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, comprising a plate on which light is incident, wherein the first photoelectric converter and the second photoelectric converter convert light from the plate into electric charge. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The imaging device according to claim 9, wherein: the plate has a first wiring and a second wiring; the first signal output via the first wiring is input to the first signal processing chip; and the second signal output via the second wiring is input to the second signal processing chip. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the first controller controls the first circuit in synchronization with the second controller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the first controller controls the first circuit and the second circuit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The imaging device according to claim 12, wherein the first controller has a timing generator which controls driving of the sensor chip. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, comprising: a first output outputting the first signal converted into a digital signal using the first circuit; and a second output outputting the second signal converted into a digital signal using the second circuit, wherein the first output and the second output are arranged apart from each other to sandwich a pixel array, in which the plurality of photoelectric converters are arranged, in the second direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the first signal processing chip and the second signal processing chip are arranged apart from each other to sandwich the sensor chip. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the first signal processing chip and the second signal processing chip are arranged apart from each other on an outside of a pixel array in which the plurality of photoelectric converters are arranged. ### Claim 17 A camera comprising: a sensor chip in which a plurality of photoelectric converters which convert light into electric charge are arranged; a first signal processing chip having a first circuit which is configured to convert a first signal generated by electric charge generated by conversion in a first photoelectric converter among the plurality of photoelectric converters into a digital signal and having a first controller which controls the first circuit; a second signal processing chip having a second circuit which is configured to convert a second signal generated by electric charge generated by conversion in a second photoelectric converter among the plurality of photoelectric converters into a digital signal and having a second controller which control the second circuit, the second photoelectric converter being arranged on a side in a first direction of the first photoelectric converter; and a recording controller configured to record the first signal converted into a digital signal using the first circuit and the second signal converted into a digital signal using the second circuit, wherein: the first signal processing chip and the second signal processing chip are arranged apart from each other in a second direction intersecting with the first direction; and the first controller or the second controller has a timing generator which controls driving of the sensor chip. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The camera according to claim 17, wherein the first signal processing chip and the second signal processing chip are arranged apart from each other to sandwich the sensor chip. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The camera according to claim 17, wherein the first signal processing chip and the second signal processing chip are arranged apart from each other on an outside of a pixel array in which the plurality of photoelectric converters are arranged. ### Claim 20 A camera comprising: a sensor chip in which a plurality of photoelectric converters which convert light into electric charge are arranged; a first signal processing chip having a first circuit which is configured to convert a first signal generated by electric charge generated by conversion in a first photoelectric converter among the plurality of photoelectric converters into a digital signal and having a first controller which controls the first circuit; a second signal processing chip having a second circuit which is configured to convert a second signal generated by electric charge generated by conversion in a second photoelectric converter among the plurality of photoelectric converters into a digital signal and having a second controller which controls the second circuit, the second photoelectric converter being arranged on a side in a first direction of the first photoelectric converter; and a display controller configured to display an image generated by the first signal converted into a digital signal using the first circuit and the second signal converted into a digital signal using the second circuit, wherein: the first signal processing chip and the second signal processing chip are arranged apart from each other in a second direction intersecting with the first direction; and the first controller or the second controller has a timing generator which controls driving of the sensor chip. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The camera according to claim 20, wherein the first signal processing chip and the second signal processing chip are arranged apart from each other to sandwich the sensor chip. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The camera according to claim 20, wherein the first signal processing chip and the second signal processing chip are arranged apart from each other on an outside of a pixel array in which the plurality of photoelectric converters are arranged.